The present invention relates to a gasification reactor for the production of syngas by gasification of a carbonaceous feed, wherein the reactor comprises a pressure vessel encasing a gasifier unit. The invention also relates to a method of monitoring formation of slag deposits within the gasifier of such a gasification reactor.
Synthetic gas, or syngas is a gas primarily comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The syngas is produced by partial combustion of carbonaceous feedstock, such as pulverized coal, gas, oil, biomass or other carbonaceous compounds. The carbonaceous feed is partially oxidised in a gasifier unit by a plurality of burners extending into the gasifier. The produced syngas contains slag particles and fly ash as by-products. Slag particles form deposits on the inner wall surfaces of the gasifier unit. The slag slides down from the inner surface of the gasifier and drops into a slag collection bath via a slag discharge at the lower end of the gasifier.
It has been found that, with relatively low temperatures at least with some types of coal, slag tends to accumulate at the slag discharge opening of the gasifier. This can result in blockage of the slag discharge opening above the slag collection bath. Moreover, also at lower or higher gasifier temperatures, the slag deposits can become very large before they fall down into the slag bath to such extent that they cannot pass the outlet of the slag collection bath. Blockage of the slag discharge opening of the gasifier as well as blockage of the slag collection bath outlet may necessitate shut-down of the reactor.
The temperatures in the gasifier can be as high as about 1700° C., depending on the type of carbonaceous feed. Hitherto these temperatures, the operational pressure in the gasifier and the circulation of fly ash and slag particles made it impossible to monitor growth and development of slag deposits within the gasifier.